Harland & Wolff prepares for layoffs
Even as it battled with Chantiers de l'Atlantique to win Cunard's Project Queen Mary order, Northern Ireland's Harland and Wolff Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Ltd yesterday issued a 90 day protective notice of intention to effect a redundancy program covering all 1,353 employees.

Aid package for troubled H&WTHE British government last night threw troubled Belfast shipbuilder Harland & Wolff a potential lifeline in the shape of a "funding package" in a bid to help it secure Cunard's Queen Mary Project.

Frontline in Golden Ocean junk bond buyJOHN Fredriksen's Frontline has made an intriguing purchase of Golden Ocean junk bonds, a move which could trigger another round of consolidation in the tanker industry.

Transamerica boosts AegonDUTCH insurer Aegon enjoyed a 26% jump in net profits for 1999 fuelled by strong performance in life assurance - the result of last year's acquisition of US company Transamerica.

Cassens to build small cruiseshipGERMAN shipyard Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik Cassens in Emden is close to winning an order for a 1,600 gt mini luxury cruiseship.

Harland and Wolff clings to Carnival order hopePOLITICIANS rallied around Harland and Wolff yesterday in a bid to save the yard's 1,700 jobs.

Oil spill cancer risk dismissed as negligibleA FRENCH environmental institute confirmed yesterday that the heavy fuel oil released by the Erika contained carcinogenic substances but said that the risk they posed to health was negligible.

Samho tankers deal for Thenamaris and ToscoTHENAMARIS looks set to order two suezmax crude carriers at Samho in South Korea, potentially on the back of long-term charters to the Tosco Corporation, one of the largest independent oil refiners in the United States.

Death knell sounds for Kvaerner on TeessideKVAERNER'S offshore fabrication yard on Teesside will next week suffer its final death blow.